Yeguete suffered a season-ending broken foot against Auburn, an injury that cost him that cost him a run to the Elite Eight.

In his first comeback game, Yeguete scored 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds in UF’s 101-71 preseason defeat of Nebraska-Kearney.

But just as pronounced as Yeguete’s encouraging return to action was his newfound physique, courtesy of strength and conditioning coordinator Preston Greene, who got some much-deserved national pub from Yahoo.com’s Jeff Eisenberg earlier this week focusing on the Gators’ insane offseason workouts.

Yeguete has gained 22 pounds of muscle. Senior forward Erik Murphy is up 14 pounds. Junior forward Casey Prather (out with a concussion) was already was challenging Patric Young for the All-Beach Team and now is plus eight pounds of muscle. Even slight-of-build senior guard Mike Rosario added five pounds.

For some, preseason practices have been about learning to play at a different weight. The Gators think Yeguete’s energy, activity and defense – especially in the press – will only be enhanced with more physicality. Same for the other guys.